Souffle Dans Moi: Breath into Me
by NiuNiu
Summary: Bad fortune and one sided feelings were familiar to Claire in relationships. Meetings with seductive yet meaningless women during the missions seemed to haunt Leon. How long you can you live without the another? ClairexLeon.
1. Away again

**NiuNiu Note**

Now, there's never enough LeonxClaire stories, is there? 8D I need to admit despite my long history in gaming (I'm a quite gaming veteran compared to most of the women players) I truly got myself into the world of RE in RE4 – thanks to my roommate during that time. He bought it for Gamecube and showed me that playing RE can be so much fun without the horrible controls I had faced with RE2..! Lately I've done almost nothing else during my free time than beating RE4 (later I can finally hit my nails to RE5 properly) and reading wonderful LeonxClaire stories. They're just perfect together, aren't they…? Naturally I wanted to stir the Cleon universe with my own spoon, too, and thus this fic. I apologize if the characters feel occasionally OOC. Let me know it that happens, I'll gladly take guidance and tips. … And heck, let me know if it _doesn't _happen, at least then I know I'll do the right job xD

If there are any grammar mistakes or typos (which usually hide perfectly from me even thought I try to hunt them down before submitting) I apologize. For the grammar I need to admit for the new readers of mine that English isn't my mother language and for it – which isn't French either - there's no translation machine for more than one word per time in the net. I sincerely hope you would ignore all the mistakes I have happened to make and concentrate on the story itself. I get so easily blind to my own text.

**Disclaimer**: This fic is purely fanmade and I don't own any of the mentioned character, nor the Resident Evil series. Made just for pleasing readers, not for selling.

**Enjoy!**

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Claire sat on the cosy, wide leather chair. The dark material felt tacky under her bare thighs that emerged from the short, shredded jean shorts. The loose T-shirt revealed her slim shoulder, tiny fingernails tapping the surface of the coffee mug unintentionally. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail as usual, but it wasn't as shiny as Chris had used to see it to be. He didn't need to inspect Claire more to see she was thinking. Hard. Her eyes had a deep yet kind of unemotional look in them as she sat head facing the window. Not really being sure was Claire only tired or perhaps disappointed that he needed to hit the road soon again Chris decided to make his presence notable. Usually it wasn't a task at all – she kind of had a sixth sense for Chris, call it maybe a bond between the siblings – but today he managed to walk behind Claire without making her even shift a bit.

"What's so interesting out site?"

His low manly tone woke Claire up from her trance. She glanced upward behind her, catching up her brother's smirking corner of the mouth. Despite the fact Chris had been a young adult when their parents died, it still surprised Claire how manly her beloved brother had became. It had happened fast if she was asked about it. His voice's tone was raspy and his board frame was… well, huge. Making a mental note to ask would Chris ever stop pumping iron for getting bigger muscles she turned her head back towards the window.

"Nothing special."

"There must be something. You've sat there almost two hours just gazing into the distance", Chris stated nodding towards the window screen before Claire. She returned her gaze to Chris, boggled.

"Two hours?" she repeated, not believing the time would have flew that fast. She had just adjusted herself on the chair…

"Well earth to Claire, it's soon 12 o'clock", Chris sniggered, ruffling Claire's hair. He knew she didn't like it. He was happy to see at least some kind of emotion emerging to her face and like expected it was a frown.

"Well earth to Chris, you could have come to me earlier if the time was the issue", she pouted playfully and smacked Chris wide palm away from her head. Chris laughed brotherly and moving a bit Claire gave him space to sit on the arm rest.

"So, what's the catch?"

She shrugged her shoulder, taking a look at her already cooled drink. The corner of her mouth twitched.

"Just wondering could it ever be possible to settle down…" she said, making a wide grin spread all over Chris's face.

"Oh Claire, Claire! I never thought of hearing that from you. Has my little tomboy finally turned into a woman – maybe some baby blues playing in the back ground?" he snickered and earned a huff from Claire.

"In your wild dreams, Chris", she huffed more, a bit hurt by Chris's implies. He should have known it better than anyone. Claire didn't want a family. Her life was way too unstable for a family, too insecure to take a full responsibility of raising a new human – and when she thought about it more she knew the world might not ever get rid of the biological viruses she and Chris had encountered too many times. There was no reason to start a family in a world like that…

"I'll be back, you know that…"

She heard Chris's words and the colour in his voice she was used to hear before his missions. She found a smile on her lips as she looked up to Chris.

"I know you will. It's just... I'm nervous to let you go. Call it a little sister's fears, if you like". She noticed the hint of concern in Chris's eyes and not wanting to make him worry over her just before the mission OR during it, which would be even worse, she elbowed him grinning. "But I'm sure you manage to smash all the obstacles away from your way with just one swing of that arm of yours, you steroid monster."

Chris rubbed the sore spot on his side.

"You know I need these", he frowned trying to look hurt.

"For what?"

"To protect the world and save damsels in distress. The usual hero stuff. Though the ladies I know aren't damsel in distress types at all". His humorous nature, the way they used to joke each others, warmed Claire's mind.

"And you know I need you alive, so don't get overly excited with your muscles during the mission", she stated and continued "or with the ladies that is".

"Yeah, I'll give you that. Jill would beat me up if I didn't focus on the mission and damn…!" He looked honestly scared when he mentioned the possible beat up handling from Jill. It amused Claire in a funny way. She knew her brother adored the old working partner of his. And she also knew Jill had developed feelings for Chris, too. She was happy for him, for both of them, but she kept her mouth shut.

"When are you leaving?" she asked, breaking the small silence that had filled the living room. Chris took a look at his watch.

"I still have about seven hours."

"Only seven?"

"Yeah, I got a note from Jill that the mission would start earlier than expected. Some tactical stuff I guess", he sighed scratching the back of his head. Sitting in chairs wasn't made for him, but he yearned the time on the field.

"I didn't know about that", Claire sounded surprised. She had expected Chris to leave a lot later.

"Well that's because you were dazing out of the window. I _did_ call you by name, but with no respond whatsoever".

For a long time there was only a silence between them, until Claire shifted, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"I just wish we could live like normal families do…" she sighed sadly, but put up a warm smile. "Don't you worry. You know me. I can get a bit blue sometimes".

"Uh-uh, and then you get back to Red, like usual", he smirked down to Clair and stood up. "What if we spend the rest hours eating and relaxing? How about pizza? Or kebab? Should we go out to grab something?"

"That's too many questions at one time, Chris!"

"Just some options for you do decide".

"Pizza will do nice."

"Should I order one or do we go out?"

"Let's stay home." She looked out again and pulled her legs up against her chest. "We're so rarely at home…"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

She sat again on that same leather chair, her favourite place in the house. A warm blanked was thrown on her shoulders. She had reports in her hand and some leftovers of the already cold pizza on the cardboard box lying next to the chair. Chris had left the house about an hour ago and Claire had found herself praying he would return safe and sound. She stared at the report in a dim light, but in the end she saw nothing. Her mind was too loud for concentrating on the paper piles. She let them drop to her lap, her gaze settling on the small moist lines on the window screen. It was raining – the first sign of the upcoming September. Usually she liked the rain, liked the freshness that filled the air during it, liked the soft steady rumble the drops painted on the roof when falling down from the darkened sky, but this time seeing the drops slowly sliding down the screen made her feel just hollow. Empty. It was like the sky would have been crying, maybe for her so she could stay without shedding tears. She actually didn't care – she could cry now if she wanted, there was no reason to put up the happy face when Chris was gone. He got so easily overprotective and worried over her, but she didn't blame him.

Claire laughed a bit herself when she realised she had never though of seeing a rain would be so painful. It was maybe the water that made a nasty knot form to her stomach. And the fact that she felt lonely. More than ever. Whenever she was lonely, she always either rent a movie or made a call to Chris or to…

……

..Leon.

Her eyes shut when she thought of him. It had always made her feel so happy just to think him. He was her friend, perhaps the best and the only one she had. But now his name in her head with the watery weather felt like a torture.

She repeated the events of Havardville silently. She couldn't believe to be such a zombie magnet, but for her joy she had found Leon, too. It was funny that almost every time she encountered walking corpses, she met also Leon. She kind of liked that, but… Leon seemed to have a habit of running into women every time the zombies were involved. First time Claire herself _and_ Ada she heard later, in Spain Leon had saved the _daughter_ of the US president and met _again_ Ada and in Havardville it had been Claire herself and… _Angela_.

A nasty bitter sensation rose up to Claire's mouth when she thought about that blond Barbie. Leon had talked about Ada and Ashley and from Chris she had heard Leon also talked about her, but when it came to Angela he hadn't said anything. …Or at least what she knew – he hadn't made her any calls or sent any emails after the Havardville incident. Even though she loved the idea that Leon was only busy, Claire started to think maybe he really was tantalized by Angela. Dating her and thus keeping his mouth shut of her. She had been there when the woman had asked Leon out for another diving session and when Claire had urged to know when they had dived – whatever that meant in the end, she perhaps didn't want to know – she hadn't got an answer she was looking for. Leon had pushed the question aside quite quickly, making Claire think Leon really didn't take the offered diving idea seriously – she didn't blame him, she actually didn't see Angela being the type for Leon - but despite he had wished them to see with Claire around normal circumstances, he hadn't let Claire know anything of him ever since. Maybe he really was diving with her.. or diving _into_ her, which broke Claire's heart.

She didn't have any interest in telling about her sorrow for Chris. It wasn't his business anyway. And besides, she didn't own Leon. She should be happy for him, but despite her best efforts she couldn't. After meeting with Angela and disappearing like that Leon made Claire think that perhaps he had banged all of the ladies he had met during the missions except her. There needed to be something wrong with her if Leon chased the blond Barbie with fake lips and unnatural hair like that… Or that he probably had given the manly handling for all other women in the field just to leave Claire without. She was caught by the idea of what if Leon had took her in the Raccoon City's Police Department back then, pushing her on the wooden table in the dead silent room which also held the desk of Chris – heck, maybe doing her right on the Chris's desk – and the last idea snapped her back to reality. Murmuring annoyed herself she shifted a bit, blush creeping to her cheeks. She shouldn't be thinking something like this of Leon…!

Frustrated by her own wild imagination of naked Leon squirming with some woman she didn't like to think about Claire threw the papers over her head on the floor and groaned loudly. She wasn't stupid – if course Leon had had his own journeys with women. He wasn't some teenager or some freak looking guy that scared the ladies away. No, he was one damn bitch magnet and even though she knew about Leon's matter-of-fact nature she highly disapproved the idea of Leon saying easily no for an offered fun in bedroom. Or in the field. Or on the table or in the tiny dark room. He was a man. She hadn't thought about it before, but Angela had brought this issue to the daylight. Feeling herself beat she envied Angela and hated Leon. She knew she shouldn't to that – hate him – since he most likely had no idea how she felt for him. Chris had sent some hints and jokes about Claire's true feeling in the air for her tease, but she never caught them. Instead she pretended never hearing them, or laughed them off from her. And since she always answered like that, Chris had cut down the times of pestering her with Leon. Maybe he was still getting some hints that a certain fair chocolate haired man had wrapped Claire's heart around his fingers without even noticing it, but if he did Claire didn't hear of it from Chris. Perhaps Chris had sensed it was truly a painful issue for her, at least after the Havardville. She hadn't lied when she told Chris earlier the day she felt a bit blue because his upcoming mission, but the truth was she missed Leon like mad. Missed him and hated him and despised herself for having such complicated feelings over a one man. She wasn't like that – never had been. She was smart, happy, onward going person, the old tomboy that never changed so when she now had those "girly feelings" as Chris named them, she was ashamed of herself. She kind of wanted to know the truth about Angela and Leon and at the same time she was more horrified of the idea than ever in her life. Even the zombies were piece of cake for Claire to handle, but relationships… damn she sucked at them. She had no luck with them whatsoever. Sadly the image of Steve flashed in her mind.

Her cell phone ringing broke the rainy silence. Reaching for the table near her she took the phone and glanced at the screen. It was Chris.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Claire! Are you busy?"

"...No, why would I be?" her voice rose lightly, surprised.

She heard him grinning from the other side of the phone.

"Nah, guess I just thought some guy would pop out from under your bed as soon as I disappeared. You know, taking the advance of the situation and my sister".

Massaging her temple with her hand eyes closed she knew exactly what Chris was implying.

"I highly doubt you would have made me a call just to check out if Le--- Ah, never mind, what was your business?"

"I forgot some files to my folder in the laptop desk's drawer. Could you fax them to Jill? The number is inside the folder."

"Which files I should fax?" she stood up heading for the desk. She found the folder as soon as she peeked in the upper drawer.

"The HA-33 named files. They should be on the top", Chris guided and Claire hummed fingering the papers.

"HA-33a-1 and HA-33b-2?"

"Yeah, those".

"Do you need anything else?"

"Nah, I'm good. Did you find the fax's number?"

She took a look behind the front cover and discovered series of number written down with a messy handwriting of Chris.

"Uh-uh. I'll fax these to Jill asap".

"Thanks, sis."

She hardly managed to say bye to Chris before he hanged up the call. Claire assumed he must have been busy – maybe perhaps afraid someone might be listening to the line, you never knew. Anything could happen. If Leon fall head first to someone like Angela, it wasn't----

Slamming the drawer shut Claire cussed her wandering mind. Why it needed to bring Leon up again and again? … Or perhaps he had always been there, in her mind, alone just for her and now, now he had dared to bring someone else into her head with him, which made her mad.

Chewing her lower lip with annoyed look in her eyes Claire faxed the papers and noticed Chris had left the laptop open. Again. He always did that. Reaching for the mouse Claire remembered she hadn't checked her emails yet. She needed to keep on eye of them for the job calls, which sometimes was rather tiring. Constantly being on her toes, not really knowing would the rare free days stay free…

Claire opened her mailbox with few clicks, noticing she had received one message. Silently she hoped it would be only something unimportant, maybe the monthly report or something else which wouldn't ruin her free days. Having Chris leave sooner than expected was enough, not to mention the strangling bitterness she felt because of Leon. As soon as the inbox appeared to her view her heart stopped. It was from the haunting man. Leon had sent her a message.

She felt unsure how to react to the mail. It had no title, but only simply informing the sender was L.S. Kennedy. It could be anything. It might be just "hi, how are you"-email or in the Claire's worst nightmare a personal message for her stating Leon had engaged with Angela. Somehow she didn't believe that Leon would ever engage with anyone, but as said, anything could happen. Especially for her. Claire couldn't help the cold feeling creeping to her spine when she found finally courage open the message. At the first glance revealed the message to be a short one.

_Hi Red, _

_I'll be in New York for a short mission in 2nd of September. Are you around during that time? Maybe we could sit down for a snack. _

_Leon_

She dazed the message, blinking. Was Leon coming to New York? Claire felt immediately herself thrilled of the idea sitting down to a table with Leon to talk, like in the old times before Havardville. The time with Leon was always quality time, he just seemed to read her like an open book. Despite the small unwanted feeling of "what if something goes wrong" Claire rushed to her cell phone and taking a deep, calming breath dialled Leon's number. She never saved it to her phone, not knowing who might get his hands on it, so she had learnt to remember the number even in her dreams.

"Hello, Red".

A smile painted Claire's lips when she heard Leon's voice.

"How can you tell it was me? I'm phoning from a different number than usual".

"It's Chris's and yours summer cottage number. I remember it", he said with a steady tone and continued "and I doubt Chris would call me from this number".

She always was amused how professionally Leon behaved. She couldn't blame him. His instincts had cut because of his work, because of his history. He was like a guard dog, constantly staying alarmed for the upcoming, thought he hit it perfectly into himself.

"I got your message."

"And?"

"It would be nice to see. It's been so long from—" Claire didn't finish the sentence, but chuckled, trying not to sound sad "Anyway, I'm always up to having a lunch out. You know I suck at cooking. Even Chris makes better food than I do."

"Then I'm glad I asked you out instead of Chris". His voice was bemused in the way only Claire was able to detect it.

"Thank you, now I have a horrible image of you and Chris dining together in a fancy restaurant…!"

She was able to sense a slight smile from Leon's side.

"I prefer a lady company over Chris, to be honest. Hopefully he won't get too disappointed", he spoke casually, with the steady tone he always seemed to use nowadays. The word of lady company hit Claire's soul like an arrow and the smile that had lingered on her face dropped. She composed herself before answering.

"Nah, he went to another mission. He won't hear of you proposal for a dinner. And besides, I assure you he's busy with Jill."

"Now really? Guess he's a rather ladies man in the end."

A silence hung in the air. Yeah, that description could be ad to someone other, too, and she almost blurted it out, hurt by the feeling. Claire cleared her throat, deciding return to the original subject.

"So, where we should meet?"

"I don't know New York that much. Maybe I could pick you up from your apartment? Now that Chris isn't there, you see". His tone was humorous again and Claire wondered was it because he was happy – or happily in a relationship to be correct. Or was he just pleased to hear Claire had time to eat something with him. Somehow she thought it was the first option…

"Sure. At what time?"

"Can't say that yet. I'll let you know later."

"Fine by me".

"…You don't sound that pleased with the idea, Claire. Is something wrong?"

Claire hadn't expected to hear anything like that from Leon. She did her best to hide the stammering tone.

"No, no, I'm fine. Just a bit grumpy that Chris needed to leave to a mission earlier than it was meant to", she shook her head while speaking, like Leon could see it, hoping he would leave the matter. "I'm happy to see you, Leon, like always". She didn't lie.

"Good. I'll give you a call then. Take care".

"You, too."

Listening to how Leon ended the call Claire sighed, head hanging low. She wished she could keep the idea of Angela away from her head when she saw him. It was hard enough already and she almost wanted to call Leon back and cancel the whole meeting, but she refused to do so.

Deciding it would be perhaps the best to calm her nerves with a huge cup of coffee she navigated herself to a kitchen. The 2nd of September would be the day after tomorrow. She needed to pull herself together before that.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He didn't like the colour of the voice Claire was giving for him. It made him weary, restless – he knew she was lying. Claire had never been good at it anyway. Shifting a bit uncomfortably in his chair Leon stared the phone in his hand, wondering should he have pushed forward with his questioning of Claire's well-being. He didn't see it fitting for Claire, to be baby sit like that, but then it was Claire. Under the zombie ass kicking lady lived another Claire, emotional one. He noted himself it was perhaps like that with every woman, them being so much more sensitive than men were, but the fact this was Claire, not just any ordinary woman, made an uneasy knot form under his chest. He didn't now which one was scarier – the fact that Claire wasn't an ordinary woman, or the sad truth that she had been like any of them, only facing the most bizarre and traumatizing events in her life. Compared to her Leon had had an easy life. Silently he tried to image how Claire would have ended up being without loosing her family, meeting the zombies and other hellish creatures and without loosing the man who had confessed his love to her.

He stood up, the word "love" making him feel something he couldn't put a finger on it. Something nasty, something unwanted and unfair. He actually didn't want to think about it more, seeing it was perhaps best for him to drop the case. In some level it was almost forbidden for him to put words "love" and "Claire" in the some sentence, whether it was only occupying his mind instead of his mouth. He pondered where it came from…

"Excuse me, Mr. Kennedy".

He turned around in his heels, meeting a gaze of Hunnigan's soft eyes behind her classes.

"About the New York's mission", she smiled, maybe because she had just called Leon as Mr. Kennedy. It was a joke between them, but this time Leon didn't respond to it. He was the same stoic man he had been for such a long time Hunnigan couldn't remember when his persona had changed so much. Maybe it had occurred slowly, covering his easy nature with something dark that was not revealed to others.

"Hopefully nothing containing T- or G-viruses…" she heard him muttering as Leon step closer, settling himself to sit light on the desk's corner. She adjusted her glasses, sighing.

"No, New York's mission has nothing to do with those issues, I assure you, but…" she remained silent, waiting for Leon to say something, but when Hunnigan got no respond except those intensive eyes, she continued. "Your mission to New York is cancelled, Leon. They'll send another agent to it."

His heart felt cold.

"They're replacing me?" he asked not believing his ears.

"Well, kind of, yes, but it has nothing to do with you whatsoever. This is an order from a higher level, straight from you biggest boss."

He listened carefully, feeling he might not like what Hunnigan had to say.

"The president?"

She shifted her weight to another leg.

"Yes. I just received a note confirming that the president has some issues he needs you to work with. It also contains the matter of president's daughter."

This time his heart felt even colder. He cocked his head, hair swaying before his right eye.

"Is it something that I have done in Spain that has made president worry over her?"

The woman before her gave an odd stare to Leon, brows rising.

"..Is there something I should be aware of the events in Spain, Leon?"

"…Yeah, kind of, I guess".

Leon watched as Hunnigan's face paled. Hastily she stepped closer to Leon, looking at his eyes almost in a lecturing way.

"Mr Kennedy, just what have you done with Miss Graham?" she hissed, receiving at least some kind of smirk from usually so unemotional looking man.

"Nothing. She seemed to consider herself as my 'perks' if you may to put it in that way. Since the contract didn't say anything about the sexual harassment as the main objective, I was a polite gentleman. She's untouched".

Hunnigan seemed to think Leon's words hard, like weighting the truth in them. Finally she relaxed, smirking and shaking her head until she returned her gaze to Leon.

"She actually tried seduced you?" she sneered with a curious look.

"At least the attempt was highly visible, Miss Hunnigan. I was only wondering has she thrown a tantrum to Mr. Graham about me being a completely jerk agent and now I'm finally being punished by it. Guess I should have ju—"

"Not another word, Leon!" she breathed out lifting her palm in the air. She knew what he was about to say and even thought it was a joke from him – at least Hunnigan prayed it would be – she didn't want to hear more.

"I have my doubts that this case would have been given to you if you hadn't managed to do a great job with saving Miss Graham in Spain", she continued about the mission.

He listened to carefully, trying to get hints from Hunnigan's face about the mission. Somehow he knew it wouldn't be a short one…

"It's an aboard mission, Leon. They'll send you back to Spain."

"To Spain?" his voice rose with the question and hastily Hunnigan shushed him with the waving of her hands.

"I'm afraid so. Miss Graham has shown some odd behaviour, both physical and mental, and the president's family doctor fears it might be side effect from the Las Plagas infection gotten from Spain. Even though the viruses where disposed from her system. The president personally wants to send you back to Spain to inspect if symptoms like Miss Graham's ones have been reported there."

"Why they don't send someone from BSAA? They should have more information of the infection than I do".

She couldn't blame Leon's unwillingness of going back to the hellish rat hole as he had described the Spain's mission.

"BSAA has done research about this matter, confirming there shouldn't be any side effects, but it seems president doesn't trust them in some level. I kind of understand it, Leon. It's about his daughter, who's gone sick. Any other parent would do the same and since the president with his family trusts you, he wants send you to Europe. I don't know more about this or the facts why BSAA isn't send back there. Guess this time it's more a personal matter than ever, as I just said."

He wanted to hit his head on the next wall. It felt like he would need to do the same job the BSAA had already done again, just to please the president. In the corner of his mind Leon thought Ashley's symptoms where just teenager's bad mood swings and thus psychosomatic. He was irritated that the whining girl he had dragged across the Spain was ruining his plans to go to New York…

"I'm sorry for this Leon. I can see from your face that you wanted to go to New York. Were you expecting someone?"

He took a long look at Hunnigan, until his head turned to left, eyes fixating on the honour medals he had received this far.

"One of the Raccoon City survivors, Claire Redfield, lives there."

He received a sad, emphatic smile from Hunnigan.

"I'm sorry you need to disappoint Miss Redfield." Turning on her heels she walked back to the door, talking to Leon while walking "You'll abort to the mission tomorrow morning. The instructions and back ground information have been sent to your e-mail. I expect flawless out come from this mission, like usual, Mr. Kennedy."

Staying to sit on the table's corner Leon watched how Hunnigan disappeared to the hall. He was able to hear her heals clicking against the floor for a long time. Lips pressed in a tight line Leon repeated Hunnigan's words in his head.

_I'm sorry you need to disappoint Miss Redfield. _

Arms crossed he let his head loll backwards, a sigh escaping from his lips. He felt like he had already disappointed Claire so many times that cancelling the dinner would not change anything. She was quite used to the fact that the communication between them was rare, even though Leon did his best to keep in touch with Claire. She was most likely already disappointed they didn't see as much as after the Raccoon City's incident. He didn't like how the things were now either, but he had no choice. Reaching behind his back to pick up the phone Leon hoped Claire would understand – yet again.

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	2. Is Spain fun?

**NiuNiu Note**

Thank you for your reviews this far! ^__________ ^

Sorry for the later update than I had promised for some of you. During my free time I've done nothing but watched from Youtube RE4 versions of Gunter's song "Ding Ding Dong" (which was a BIG HIT in Europe some years ago).

I can't wait to give permission to Claire to touch Leon's tra la la…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"_Leon?"_

_Her voice was soft, questioning his call gently. He wondered had Claire been sleeping already._

"_Hello, Claire. Sorry to bother your free time again", he spoke softly and even though he didn't want to, he sensed how Claire tensed from the other side of the cell phone. "But I have some bad news. The president gave me another mission…"_

_She sighed shortly, sounding disappointed._

"_So you're saying you're not coming to New York?"_

_He scratched the back of his head, brows knitted together into a frown._

"_Yeah. Sorry. Maybe some other time then?" _

"_Guess it can't be helped. We'll see later." She paused for a moment. "It's okay, Leon."_

"_Sorry to disappoint you like this". He was utterly sorry and he only hoped Claire could tell it from his voice. She gave him a hum and in his mind Leon saw how she shook her head, red ponytail swaying with the movement._

"_Don't worry, Leon. We can meet later, in a better time." Her voice was stronger than previously, brushing the just heard disappointment away from her speaking. Though Leon knew she was strong – stronger than any woman he had met – he still wondered how long Claire would take these "sorry, we can't see"-messages until she said goodbye to him…_

"_Let's hope it comes soon". He wanted to say "promised", but knowing he could perhaps never promise anything for anyone, Leon kept his lips sealed._

He groaned for the memory of the yesterday's phone call, looking for his seat from the plane. The first class was empty, like usual, no one really wanting to pay that much for the better seats, but for Leon it all was free. At first it had been rather luxurious for the young man, flying around the globe in the first class, spending nights in five star hotels – and all of that just getting better after rescuing Ashley – but the big open spaces made him feel rather… well, lonely. It was boring to travel alone in an empty class, the classy hotel rooms echoed the emptiness and the wide the king sized beds felt cold when he laid there all by himself, staring at the ceiling and thinking was he perhaps getting old since he wished for some company…

He found his seat with no effort, taking off his jacket before setting himself down, sighing. The flight would be long and he apparently had no time for recovering from a jet-lag. The president wanted Leon to deal with this matter as fast as possible and to be honest Leon wished the same. He wasn't interested in staying in Spain more than necessary. For him Spain brought up mental images that were far away from the sunny beaches, cheap drinks and girls in bikinis…

"Oh my god, Leon?!"

His just a moment ago closed eyelids flashed open by a familiar voice calling his name. His dazed look placed on something he hadn't expected to see.

"Claire?!"

His voice was more like a gasp than a question, both of them staring each others in disbelieve. She rushed to give him a hug, breaking the staring competition.

"So it really was you! I thought that hair cut looked too familiar", she grinned at Leon, winking her eye like she always did. She took a seat next to Leon, smiling.

"I… I thought you had free time", he tottered still not believing his eyes. And here he had been just cursing his luck of loneliness…!

"Well, I _had _free time, but not any more. I got an emergency call from Terra Save, right after you had phoned me. They had got a hint that the environmental group The Alliance we're working with would have something fishy going on in Spain. Something about using toxics to replant the forests and how those toxics could taint the subterranean water causing people living near by to get infected by it and heck, maybe even causing miscarries and mutations of the embryos both humans' and animals'", She brushed her fallen bang away from her eyes, noticing how Leon grimaced for the mentioned mutations. "But no one really seems to know is the rumour even true, so the guys in Terra Saves thought it's something that we should check out. Or something I should check out".

"So to keep the co-operation and the contact still warm with The Alliance if the rumour ends up being just a rumour they sent you on the solo mission?"

Claire smiled to Leon and nodded. He always knew what was going on, even without telling him about it.

"That's pretty much the truth. Call it 'a sneaking mission' if you like. They know about my solo missions' history in Terra Save and sometimes it can be rather annoying. If something happens I'm always the first one to send for the investigation…" She stretched her arms above her head and sighed, sounding pleased. A grin painted over her face. "Though I have nothing against some time in Spain. Warm beaches, cool drinks, lifeguard hunks in their tiny swim trunks…"

"Believe me, Spain really isn't that fun", Leon grunted turning his head away from Claire, leaning against his palm.

"You're just jealous I mentioned the life guards", Claire teased him, elbowing Leon like she used to elbow Chris, too.

"I still think Spain won't be that much fun…" he kept protesting, hoping the call Claire had got would be only a false alarm and nothing serious… He hated the idea of Claire in danger. The mental images of Claire battling against the mutated humans, livestock, and wild animals chilled his spine.

"Cheer up. I'm sure this isn't anything serious. I'm aware that the local people don't approve the help from The Alliance, for them being kind of old fashioned in a country sides. They think that Spanish should handle all the problems in Spain and thus the Yankees that stuck their noses in Spanish issues are not that praised, nor welcomed. This rumour is probably nothing but a try to defame The Alliance."

He took a look at Claire, who kept staring him with bright eyes, nodding to underline her carefree attitude towards the mission she was sent to. Leon's knitted brows relaxed and he let out a defeated sigh. How couldn't he believe in those innocent eyes?

"How about you, Leon? What kind of mission the president gave you? Or is it something top secret". She winked her eye again, grinning for the top secret.

"Nah, just something I need to check out, too", he waved his hand in the air uncaringly. "The BSAA has already investigated this problem, but the president insisted me to go to check all of it again…"

Claire's lips pressed together.

"It's about what happened in Spain few years ago, isn't it? The Las Plagas…?"

His jaw tensed and focusing his gaze on the seat before him Leon's features darkened.

"Yeah. I thought that nightmare would have been over already…"

"..Have they informed of the new changes of an outbreak?"

"No, nothing like that. The daughter of the president has shown some unidentified symptoms that may be side effects of the Las Plagas infection she got during the Spain's mission. I just need to go to look around if something similar have been reported in the Spain, even thought the BSAA has confirmed there hasn't been any discoveries like Ashley's symptoms." He took a small pause, eyes never leaving the invisible spot he was staring at so keenly, until he groaned crossing his arms. "I'm not really up to running around the globe just because some teenager girl has thrown a tantrum for her family…"

Claire inspected his frowned face. She couldn't blame Leon. Actually, she felt kind of sorry for him, but for some reason Claire never said it.

"So, we're both in the same mess then, I think. Two meaningless missions. Well, better than hanging around in home alone", Claire stated but then the though that had staid hidden this far jumped out to her consciousness. Leon wasn't alone. He had Angela… She thought about the woman and how she had probably shed huge tears hanging in Leon's neck when she had heard about Leon's sudden mission. The mental image of them to snuggling each others and Leon whispering something soothing unworldly for her ear twisted Claire's guts. She turned her head away from Leon, shifting to sit in her seat properly.

"Ladies and gentlemen. This is a flight 65 to Spain. We ask all the passengers to fasten their seat belts for the take off. Don't unfasten your seat belts until you're allowed to do so".

"Uh, I really hate take offs. They tickle stomach in a nasty way", Claire huffed changing the subject in her head and received a small bemused snort from Leon.

"It only last for a moment, unlike this flight".

"Yeah, I give you that", she breathed out realising how many hours she would need to sit in still. Fumbling with her seat belt she gave another smirk for Leon. "I hope they won't show any zombie movies during the flight".

He replied with a snigger that rose from his throat, shaking his head.

"I bet we've seen them enough".

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

She was in the Rockfort Island, her surroundings looking familiar and yet something she had never seen before. She ran forward, not being sure of the direction she was running to, her breath ragging in her ears. The nightmarish sounds and muttering voices hung in the air and being exhausted from the running she missed the trap. It sent her down, the ground tearing apart beneath her feet. The fall down felt endless, dark void sucking her in, until she hit the ground with a pained groan. Trying to find her strength and balance to stand up Claire sensed a presence. Lifting her bend head upwards, she noticed a young man standing in the darkness. She quickly recognized the slim figure.

"Steve! Steve, are you okay?" Her voice was weak and she barely heard it herself. Narrowing her eyes Claire tried to see if Steve was hurt.

"Claire…"

His voice was hollow, echoing like church's bells in a dawn of funeral.

"It's okay Steve, we'll find a way out of here". Shakily she stood up, knees aching from the down fall. He spread his arms to his side revealing his half mutated body, head cocking to a right. A silent, bloody tear ran hauntingly down on his pale cheek.

"I love you, Claire".

She jumped up from her sunken position with a sharp gasp. It took her a while to remember where she was – in a plane, probably somewhere over the Atlantic Sea. Not in the Rockfort Island, not in that nightmare to fitness how Steve turned into a one of those monsters she was running away from, killing with her gun. She let her head loll backwards with a deep exhale. Her closed eyes hurt and the image of the Steve from her dream didn't want to go away from her retinas. She blamed herself for the fate of Steve, even though Chris had almost begged her to forgive herself – she wasn't the responsible for what had happened. But Chris didn't know the truth. He didn't know what the last words of Steve had been, what he had whispered to Claire with a dry gulps of air until she lost him completely. He had been mostly a stranger for Claire, but still the memory hurt her… And who wouldn't be haunted by a memory of a loss of someone who had confessed his love to you just before his death…

The humming sound of the plane soothed her nerves and sinking back down to the previous position Claire wondered why the hell the air was so hot. They should have better ventilations in the first class… Shifting with a groan she tried to move her hand to wipe the few fallen straws of her hair away from her eyes, but her hand met an obstacle blocking its way. Her gaze fall down to her lap and met with the dark, matt shiny fabric covering her upper body. Her eyes made the conclusion of the material faster than her brains, her blue orbs turning to take a look at Leon. The man was apparently sleeping, chest rising and falling in slow pace under the nicely fitting black tee he wore. His head was turned towards the window, back of his head showed to Claire. His dark chocolate coloured jacket was thrown over Claire's slim body, covering her like a duvet. Claire shifted unconsciously under the fabric, feeling somehow flattered that Leon had considered her maybe feeling a chill while sleeping. Now matter how you put it, he was a gentleman in the end.

She studied the sleeping man next to her, listening to how the sound of his soft breathing blended together with the deep hum of the plane's engines. His sleeping form reminded Claire of the few days after the Raccoon City outbreak, how they had ran away from the city with Sherry in their custody, sleeping the first night in the stolen, cold car because the idea of stopping and get yourself locked into a hotel room was too frightening. Sherry had been sleeping in the back seat, curled into a small bundle, Leon lying on the passenger seat that was lowered to true level. Even though Claire had been exhausted from the whole day lasted driving, not to mention about the Raccoon City's effects on her, she hadn't been able to sleep. The lack of sleep had burnt her eyes, yet the blissful dozing off hadn't come. She had spent most of the night listening to Sherry's innocent snuffing and watching Leon. His figure had been almost fragile, hastily wrapped blood stained bandages reminding of the bullet he carried in his shoulder. It needed to be removed, as soon as they got far enough from Raccoon City to make the first stop among the living, and Claire had known Leon wouldn't like it. His face had been turned towards the window, the light in the car they kept on for Sherry's sake making his sleeping features reflect from the screen. His face had been pale from the exhaustion and blood loss, and thinking how this young man had arrived to Raccoon City to start a new life as a police officer just to end up with his world turned up-site-down permanently, Claire had felt a sting in her heart. Not thinking about it she had lifted her hand from her lap, letting the backside of her palm stroke gently the exposed side of Leon's neck, wondering would they ever recover from this all… His skin had felt warm and living under her touch. Real.

She woke up from her memories back to the reality, realising how soft the base of Leon's neck hair felt under the backside of her fingers that had travelled again onto his neck without permission or her noticing it. Like the memories from the past would have started to live again, replaying the scene from the night. She hesitated for a moment, a blush creeping to her cheeks when she realised how stupid it was to finger fondle Leon's back of the neck hair line for all of the sudden, making her feel almost guilty for taking an advance of him like this, but then she relaxed, sighing. This was Leon and it wasn't the first time for her to touch him like this. He had been irritated earlier and this… well, let's just say it was only a soothing gesture, Claire reasoned silently. Besides, he was sleeping. Like back then, having Claire watch his back, with the exception this time Leon didn't make unconscious whimpers of pain that twisted his brows. He was peaceful, like nothing as Raccoon City would have ever happened to him.

Smiling sadly for the memories Claire retreat her palm from Leon's short back hair and freed herself from the hot jacket, folding it under her head. Extra pillow was always welcome, especially when the pillows had such a pleasing scent as this particular "pillow" had. She closed her eyes again, hoping the nightmares would be chased away by the scent of Leon. They both were already seen them enough…

-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Ah, this place is much colder than I expected!"

Her loud statement in a taxi they had decided to share amused Leon. Turning to look at the back seat from the passenger seat he inspected Claire, who held her hands around herself. The ¾ sleeved shirt that revealed her smooth upper chest seemed bit too thin for the windy weather.

"I told you, Spain isn't that much fun", he reminded her, earning pout from Claire. "Still thinking about the beaches with those beach lions?"

"Yes, after getting this far I really want to go to the beach and bathe in sunlight".

Leon wanted to state that in his last time here the weather had been mostly cloudy and rainy, but he didn't want to ruin Claire's hopes of sunny days nor start to mess with her when she was utterly disappointed. She was one tough chick and you don't mess with them without consequences.

"Are you busy today?"

Leon's sudden question picked up Claire's curiosity.

"No, why?" she leaned forward to hear him better.

"I was just thinking about the snack we already had a deal about…" he said, taking a glimpse of Claire from the rear view mirror. "If you're not busy maybe we could eat something? At least I'm hungry after the flight. You know.. the food in the plane…"

She showed her tongue out in a gesture of silent yuck when the plane food was mentioned.

"We're going to your hotel first. What do you say if you grabbed something from the hotel's restaurant, if it's open? I'm afraid I don't have enough time for a proper dinner today, Hunnigan is waiting for my first report and I haven't really read all the needed files to be honest…"

Claire hummed for the answer, the promised food tickling the tip of her tongue. She was hungrier than she had thought of.

After a short moment the taxi pulled before the Hotel El Pase, driver helping Leon and Claire with their luggage. Leon kept his suit case near him and Claire noticed it, thinking it hold most likely his weapons – a gun and a knife, maybe some medical kit, too. She wasn't allowed to take weaponry with her and she kind of envied Leon for it. After so many years, so outbreaks she felt a need of having a gun near available…

"Claire?"

She blinked and looked up to Leon, who stood next to her with odd look in his eyes.

"You're dazing again…" he stated, making Claire notice the taxi was gone.

"Leon, the ta—"

"I paid it", he cut her and lifted his luggage from the ground. "And don't you say you didn't need to. I have my 'secret agent' perks". This time he grinned, like the way he had used to grin. Claire wondered where his smile had disappeared, what had made him so stoic and stony in the Havardville, but she never asked realising Leon had a right to have some thing that weren't shared with others. They all had. The name of Angela popped in her head, but this time she shooed it away quickly.

The reception was busier than Claire had expected, people buzzing around with different languages filling the air. The strong Spanish accent dominated the air.

"Phew, good thing they booked me a room from the company", she gasped happily, looking for her calendar from the hand bag while walking near to the reception desk. "It's rather crowded. Could you wait with my luggage over there?" She pointed the little free space that was located under a yucca palm tree near the desk's side. Leon nodded and stepped aside. He looked at Claire's back, watching how she shifted her weight to another leg every now and then while waiting for her turn. He knew she was tired. She always got restless when she was tired. Leon took his time to inspect the mass of people in the hall, letting Claire handle her business in peace.

"Are you sure?"

Claire voice was faint but Leon still picked it up. He noticed how Claire leaned over the desk with her calendar open in her hands, talking something with the reception attendant, who looked concentrated and somewhat confused. Soon another attendant arrived and they quickly changed few words in Spanish. She took a quick look over her shoulder to Leon until the discussion with the attendants continued. Never leaving his eyes from the scene Leon picked up his cell from his breast pocket.

"But I have the number here", Claire stated, pointing out the series of five numbers written down to her calendar's memo pages. "You really can't find it?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Redfield. We don't have a booking here with the number or with your name", the young male attendant smiled with an apology. Claire stared at the man mouth half open.

"I don't get this, the room was booked yesterday", she muttered in disbelieve, brushing her red bangs. "Guess I need to rent another room then…"

"I'm sorry, miss Redfield. We don't have any spare rooms either. It's the rush season", the man continued.

"Listen Mr…" she took a look at his name badge "Potro. I have travelled all the way from America and I really need a roof on my head. Isn't there anything you could do?"

"The next free room is available a day after tomorrow, but it's for three people. You would either need to pay extra for the rent or share the room with two other people".

"Ah, I see", she sighed beaten, letting her head fall. "Could you recommend me any other hotels located around this area?"

"Just a moment, I make a call to the Hotel Avant…"

She was looking like a hawk the man, feeling how the angry looks of the people lined behind her drilled into her spine, but Claire decided not to mind about them. They could wait. At least they had a room to stay…! After ending the call Mr Potro made another call, a bit longer one than the first had been.

"Hotel Avant is booked full", he stated, watching how Claire's level of hope dropped "but the Hostel Manzana has one spare room and one free bed in a room of 6 people". He scribbled quickly a memo note and handed it to Claire. "Here's the address and the phone number to the Manzana. We're terribly sorry, Miss Redfield".

"It's okay, things like this happen", she smiled trying to sound polite and stuck the piece of paper between the folders of her calendar. "Muchas gracias, Mr Potro".

Turning her back to the attendant Claire heard him saying goodbyes and another apology, that didn't wash away Claire's beaten mood. She walked with quick, short steps to Leon.

"I can't believe this", she huffed and stroked the top of her tied hair all to way down to her neck, not looking at Leon. "They say they didn't receive the booking and the next free room is available in a day after tomorrow in a room of three people, which either costs me like hell or I'd share it with two other people. The another hotel near here is booked, too, and the only option I now have is this hostel.." she took a look at the note "Manzana, where the hell that even is." She took a deep inhale and massaged her forehead. "I can't stay in a hostel… I'm too old for that, I can't stand the drunken, loud young travellers and bad, shabby rooms with paper thin walls. Not when I'm working here and… you know, the mission". She hissed the last word, not wanting others to hear it. Hotel would have provided her more privacy for the investigation, too. Lifting her down cast eyes up to Leon's face Claire gave him a sad, sympathetic smile. "I really start to believe that Spain isn't that fun after all…"

"Don't worry about the hotel. I have that covered up".

Claire's eyes widened when she heard Leon's words, hand dropping from her forehead to her side.

"What?"

"Made a little call. I have a bed for you and a place to stay. Good thing I was here, eh?" He smirked warmly, standing weight on his left leg and patted his breast poked where his cell phone was. Claire's face brightened like the sky in the morning sun.

"Damn, Mr Kennedy, you're full of surprises!" she laughed, sounding relieved. He shook his head, the grin staying in his lips.

"Nah, just simple connections to here and there". His eyes returned to Claire, hands sliding down to lift up the luggage.

"So, about the snack we were talking about…."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-


	3. Nostalgia

NiuNiu Note:

Uh, I have a feeling that I made lots of mistakes with the grammar this time…! But, anyway, thank you for the wonderful support!

This chapter is finished after midnight, I wrote it for hours and thus there might be some stupid typos for me being cross-eyed from the lack of sleep..!

And, if someone hasn't got the glue yet, the M-rating there really is for a real purpose. It might take a while before the M really pops out, but I promise, it will be worth of waiting…!

EDIT – Hunted down some mistakes.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The dinner they had had in an overly crowded hotel restaurant had been a hasty one, but still both of them felt pleased for the lunch. Getting up from the backseat of taxi Claire hoped her jeans' button wouldn't spring off for her feeling so stuffed from the spiced pasta she had had. Taking a better look at the Hotel Salvador before her and letting Leon deal with taxi Claire admired the tall building with huge class windows. This definitely was something different than Hotel El Pase…! She felt herself quite thrilled of the idea she could stay at the 5 stars hotel and most importantly, at the same hotel with Leon. They could catch up each others more easily when staying at the same place, maybe changing information they had came across during the day. She followed Leon's lead to the hotel's hall, which was decorated so nicely Claire didn't know to where set her eyes.

"I'll handle this, Claire. You wait here with the luggage", he told her, giving the suitcase he was holding to Claire. "Take especially good care of this".

She nodded, understanding that her conclusion of the suit case's content had hit the right spot. She kept the suit case in her hand, watching Leon handling all the needed stuff at the reception. It didn't take long and soon a young male attendant hurried to Claire's side to pick up the luggage. She let him do so, but refused to give Leon's suit case for him, smiling gently.

"I can handle this, thank you very much".

She expected the attendant might try to be polite and insist her to let go of her possession, but for her relief the man nodded positively. She followed his steps to the elevator, Leon catching up with them. She wondered in which floor her room might be and would it be far away from Leon's floor. Sewing her lip unconsciously Claire thought Leon's room was presumptuously at the highest floor, somewhere near the sky with all the luxury this hotel could provide him. At least he should deserve it after saving Ashley Graham and being exposed to her annoying personality for so long time, as Leon has told Claire. She wondered that maybe Ashley was just a spoiled kid…

The elevator nudged softly when it stopped, doors opening with the bright sound of a tiny bell. She watched as Leon stepped out site with the attendant showing the way, and when Claire didn't follow him instantly, Leon turned to look over her shoulder, and with a little nod of his head towards the direction the attendant was walking to, urged Claire to follow. She did as silently told, mentally making a note Leon had managed to arrange a room from the same floor for her. It truly was the highest floor in the building and for a moment Claire felt a bitter sting in her soul, wondering how much this trip to Spain would cost to Terra Save and for herself. She was supposed to pay part of the travelling fee, for Terra Save still being such a new company with low funds and a few sponsors…

Attendant stopped at the door with a golden number 69 on it, dropping the luggage and smiling politely for Leon, informing that this was the room and if he had anything he needed he should just call to the room service. Leon answered with simple thanks and nodded, the attendant returning to the elevator. Claire stood still, looking dazed after the young attendant - how he passed by her like nothing was wrong and disappeared behind the elevator's sliding doors.

The card key beeped the dark door open, Leon pushing inside the room and leaving the door open for Claire. She stood there for a mere second till she hastily lifted her bags and hurried after Leon.

"What about me?"

He threw the card key on the desk near the door, taking off his jacket and throwing it after the key on the antique looking chair that stood next to the desk.

"You're free to stay as long as your mission in here lasts", he replied casually, turning to give Claire a smirk. She looked confused and Leon let the smirk stay on his face "You know, you look awfully cute when being puzzled like that. You're never puzzled."

She woke up and gave a look at Leon.

"Does that mean that I'm not cute when I'm not puzzled?" She cocked her brow with a grin and shut the door behind her. Leon crossed his arms.

"I didn't say you wouldn't be".

"Where's the little rookie cop I used to know?" Claire teased him, walking deeper in the room to take a better look at it. She stood inspecting the room, hands on her hips and back turned to Leon. "You're awfully flirty for being Leon, Leon". She heard him smirk for her silently, and turning her head she noticed the single bed in the room. "I thought you arranged me a room."

"I did. You're staying here, as I just told you. They gave me only one card key, but I can ask one for you from the reception. They're aware of my reputation, so it shouldn't be a problem", he continued, his voice turning back to the matter-of-fact level. Claire watched as Leon proceeded to check out the cupboards and desk drawers, like he always did. She couldn't blame him, she did the same. Chris did the same too, and Claire was sure even Jill turned around the places like they did.

"So…" she began, starting to walk around the room. It was classy and looked so expensive Claire didn't know would she even have enough money to be breathing the air in there. "I wonder can you make a bed out of that sofa over there? I mean it's only for two people…" She stroked the surface of the white sofa and smiled sadly "This would have been just perfect size for Sherry back then…"

Leon heard the colour in Claire's voice. It was melancholy, a bit broken but not bitter at all. He admired that in Claire. The fact she never had shown any bitterness because of what she had faced in her life.

"Yeah, it would have been", he replied, walking next to Claire to take a look at the furniture. "I think it's made just for sitting."

"Do you think the room service would deliver another bed to this room? Or maybe a mattress of some sort?" She took a look at Leon over her shoulder, holding her hand on the sofa's surface. "If it really is okay that I can stay here?"

"Why it wouldn't be? I'm pretty sure we'll come along well", he nudged Claire with his elbow, earning a playfully scolding look from Claire. "Besides, wide empty spaces like this really make me feel lonely". He hit the truth in his words behind the flirty tone, earning another scolding look from Claire.

"You haven't answered my first question."

"Well, actually", he started, face dropping back to the normal expression "I thought they had arranged that, but I guess the hotel's staff thought I was bringing my girlfriend with me, and well, I kind of did, didn't I? You're a girl and a friend of mine. I can ask hotel to bring an extra bed, but before that, just look at the size of that bed over there! It looks like it's made for four people." Then the grin returned to his lips and eyes, hands rising to his hips. "I think I can make a daring offer of sharing the same bed with me for this time. It's not like we wouldn't have done that before."

The little blush that had tried to rise up to Claire's cheek fell down, her eyes lowering, head turning slightly away from Leon.

"Yeah, you're right", she sighed, the old memory running in her head. She returned back to the time of their first stop in a shabby hostel, which had located safe way away from Raccoon City. Removing the bulled from Leon's shoulder had been painful, for both him and her. Claire had had no skills in how to remove a bullet from a wound, nor any skills of how to stitch people up. She had only hoped she could make it easy and quick for Leon, making sure Sherry wouldn't need to witness the scenery. She had asked Sherry to take a shower, assuring she and Leon would be in the next room and that there wouldn't be anything bad in the bathroom, since Claire had checked it out twice for Sherry. She also had asked Sherry to sing, and sing out loud since the singing always eased up a scared mind and Claire and Leon would know she was okay. Claire hadn't had a heart to tell Sherry she was about to hurt Leon to make him feel better, since to be honest it didn't make any sense. To hurt to make someone better. And yet she had done that. Cleaned the smeared and festering wound with an antiseptic liquid that burnt him, digging the wound with the knife's sleek blade making Leon sweat, twist and howl in pain, desperately trying to find the little bullet from his shoulder as fast as possible. She had pressed Leon on the mattress with her legs, one knee holding down the hand from the injured side, another pushing him down from the side of chest, near the arm pit. She didn't remember anymore what she had whispered to him with a tottering voice during the operation, trying to sooth him and shush the croaking groans and moans of agony away. She had hoped Leon would be sissy enough to pass out from the pain, but she had known Leon for long enough to know he wasn't like that. He wouldn't faint. He would fight against the blackness that tried to suck him in. After a moment that had felt like an eternity, Sherry's loud singing lowering down Leon's noises, Claire had found what she had been looking for, hastily pulling out the cursed piece of metal, throwing it on the floor. She had cleaned to wound again, wiping away the blood and shushed to half conscious Leon it would be over soon, searching with slightly trembling hands the sewing kit. He had whimpered sadly almost every time the needle pierced him, Claire's bloodstained fingers trying to push the edges of the wound closer to each others. The table light had turned towards the bed to give Claire enough light for the medical treatment, but it was poor compared to real surgery lights. She had pulled herself together to finish the task, which she did, shifting into a better sitting position. Sherry singing had been still heard from the bathroom. She had lowered her head to Leon's side and stroking his moist hair away from his forehead told him to rest. He had nodded, breath rag and shallow, and Claire had known from the heat of his forehead that Leon had a fewer. Still, he had dozed off. After Sherry had came from the bath Claire had asked her to look after Leon while she would take a shower herself, too. She had washed the dirt and the blood that belonged to him away from her body, wishing she would have clean clothes. When getting back Sherry had fallen asleep on the soft chair, which had made Claire smile gently for the sight. She had walked to check out Leon's condition, touching his head to feel the fever. He had croaked her name dryly and shallowly, Claire shushing as reply, leaning closer to ask would he need water. He had murmured her to stay, fingertips of his left injured arm brushing begging over her thigh, head turning to her side with closed eyelids. She had studied him for a moment before she had climbed over his bare chest to the wall's site of the bed. She had been too jumpy from the Raccoon City events and thus Claire had settled herself to sit on the bed, back resting against the red tapestry to be able to see the door and the window screen constantly. Gently she had helped Leon's head onto her lap, stroking the messed hair carefully. Sighing something Claire hadn't been able to make out Leon had lifted his healthy arm up to Claire's arm to return the touch. She still remembered it, like it would have been only a yesterday. The weight of his head on her thighs, dirty and sweated locks between her fingers and the way he had hollowly wailed his agony through the whole long night.

She felt Leon's arm entwining around her upper body, letting him set her head against his shoulder.

"Is it really that bad memory?" he asked, a mixture of sadness and humour in his voice. She returned the embrace, palms rising up against his shoulder blades. She sighed with a small smile in the corner of her lips.

"I thought the painkiller would never kick in…" Claire replied, not even trying to hide the look on her face, nor the small blood rush that greeted her cheeks. It felt so natural to hug him, to be close to Leon. It always had. The cotton of his shirt was soft against her palms, but underneath she was able to feel his trained back.

"I promise this time I won't keep you up the whole night with my sissy weeping". She knew it was a joke, but it didn't amuse Claire, her remembering just in how bad shape Leon had been during that night. Still she did her best to smile.

"Leon, I know you, you're not a sissy", Claire replied with closed eyes. The crook of his neck smelt nice.

"A wuss?"

"No."

"Wimp?"

"No."

"Candy-ass?"

The last word that hold again the suggestive hint in it stung Claire's ears and she lifted her head up, taking a look at Leon's face, before she broke the embrace, huffing.

"I thought you had a report to do for your boss", she tried to scold Leon, retreating from him to move her luggage away from the door where she had dropped them. He followed Claire with his eyes.

"Denial is such a sweet bliss…" he whistled in a singsong tone. Claire heard him walking to the sofa, snatching his laptop suit case along the way. She decided to gather her bags and move very slowly, since she knew her expression was with no doubt rather mixed. The idea of Leon's 'candy ass' burnt her cheeks and yet this all had brought up Angela's name into her head again. She didn't want to blurt out the reason why she had pushed Leon away after his resent comment, nor why she hadn't answer for his statement of denial. Usually Claire was always ready to snap back, with humour or not, but right now she felt better to keep her mouth shut.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He rolled lazily the given PDF-formed reports through, not bothering to read all of them but only to check out the parts that seemed to be important. He could return to these later, only the most important parts were needed at this point. Besides, he still doubted the need of this whole mission, still assuring himself that Ashley was only being difficult since he hadn't come to do some 'overtime' at her place. That nosy brat had most likely used to get whatever she wanted to have, but Leon wasn't some object to claim.

He took a quick look at Claire from the corner of his eye, noticing she still looked the same as earlier. The feeling around her had changed after he had suggested being a total candy-ass – or a wuzz or wimp, however you wanted to put it – and it kind of made him worried. He knew something was wrong with Claire and he hoped she would come to talk to him without asking what was wrong. She should know she could trust him for that. He stopped reading the files, looking directly at Claire. She was working with her own laptop on the bed, brows knitted together into an expression which Leon didn't like. She was looking at the screen, apparently being more in her thoughts than concentrating on the work.

He rose up from the white sofa, stretching his lower back after sitting there for two and half hours. Damn reports and meaningless missions. He could spend his time a way much better than this. He thought Claire probably felt the same.

Her eyelids felt heavy and no matter how much Claire hated it she needed to admit she hadn't manage to read the text at all. She had flipped the files, looking at photos and surfing in the net to keep herself awake, but she couldn't remember any of it. Only the scenery of Leon and Angela played in her head, over and over again. She felt nauseous.

"What's the catch?"

She took a look at Leon, who now stood beside the bed.

"Chris asked the same yesterday", she smiled, brushing her bangs away from her eyes, returning her gaze back to the laptop's screen. "There's no catch. I'm just tired".

The silence filled the air and Claire tried her best to push it away by concentrating on the keyboard and the net surfing. She just wanted to be, since nothing was wrong. It was only her own imagination that played with her head and being a friend of Leon she should have been happy for him. She didn't know what was wrong with her – she never felt like this, behaved like this. It was like someone other would have took over her body and mind. She just wanted to be…

Leon, on the other hand, had other thoughts. Like a cat he slammed Claire's laptop's lift close, showing the computer away from her despite the loud protesting. He set himself on the bed, sitting between Claire and the now closed computer.

"You're horrible liar, Claire".

"I'm not---", she assured, but Leon's lifted palm cutting her off.

"Claire, I'm the secret agent here. I know everything", he grinned. She let her shoulders slumber, sighing with a defeated smile.

"Okay, you won…"

He waited for Claire to continue, not wanting to push her to open up. When the woman before him didn't make any effort to speak, Leon made a conclusion she perhaps needed a little encouraging. Kicking the computer aside he shifted, casually letting his head drop on Claire's lap, stretching himself like a lazy cat. His agent's skills said the woman usually never escaped from this position and to be honest, he kind of enjoyed of the confusion it caused in Claire.

And he kind of knew what was wrong.

"So…" Leon began, crossing his legs from angles, taking a peek at Claire behind his locks that tried to hit his eyes. "Who is he?"

"What?" she gasped, shocked, holding her hands up like Leon would be poisonous. He captured one of those up lifted hand in his palm, guiding it down.

"You keep dazing in to distance so often it scares me. This isn't the Claire I know". He kept a small pause, looking up to her cutely blushed face, finger folding her soft back of the palm. "Who is he?"

She wanted to reply 'no one special' but that would have been the hugest lie ever. His intensive gaze was piercing her, making clear that she had no escape from this. His hand felt warm and the way he held her palm near his chest made Claire felt odd weakness.

"You're too concerned of me, Leon. I can take care of myself, I'm a big girl", she tried to cover herself with a smile. She stroked his straws of fine hair away from his forehead. "You have a mission you need to concentrate on. You don't have to waste your energy on me".

"We're a team, Claire. Partners. Like Chris and Jill are. Partners are concerned of each others".

She tore her eyes away from Leon, palm stopping on the top of his head.

"No. We're not like Chris and Jill", she whispered, mostly for herself than for Leon. For a second his looked taken aback, but he got the hint. So, it was true then. Chris and Jill were much more than just partners for missions. They were partners for life. He turned his head, looking at her palm he was holding.

"…We could have been, Claire."

She was silent for a long time. In her mind she cursed for Angela.

"Yeah…"

"But honestly, I promise to take care of you, my old friend. Just let me know if the guy gets difficult".

This time Claire laughed a bit for his words, returning to pet his hair.

"You talk silly stuff, Mr. Kennedy. You already have a one woman to take care of".

The atmosphere in the room changed like a lightning hitting across the sky. Leon shot his head up, eyes size of two plates.

"Excuse me?"

Claire's eyes widened her realizing she had just blurted out something she wasn't meant to say out loud.

"I… I mean Angela wouldn't perhaps like the way you talk to me", she babbled trying to cover up her slipped words, only causing Leon to rise up from his position, leaning his upper body to his outstretched arms.

"What?" His voice rang loudly in the room. "Why she wouldn't---", Leon cut off his own sentence, noticing Claire's big eyes and parted lips. A wide and wicked smirk painted his lips from ear to ear.

"Oh I see. You thought she got me on hook. You really think that I'm that easy?" he sniggered, shaking his head. A little redness of shame broke to Claire's face. She gave a smack on Leon's upper arm.

"Then why the hell you were so willingly to go 'diving' with her AGAIN – whatever it means that is?" she pouted back being trying to be at least a bit hurt that he made fun of her. To be honest she couldn't ever be mad at Leon, and he saw it, the smirk remaining on his face.

"That's called being polite. What did you want me to do, kick her down from the cliff?" The thought humoured them both to the verge of laughing. "Besides, the 'diving' was only me giving her some oxygen underwater when she got knocked off by the explosion. Damn, what she was, a part of special forces? And yet I needed to save her ass all of the time. Boy I was glad when I met you! I knew there would be at least one sane, capable person in the mess with me". He took another look at Claire, feeling pleased that she had ease up with the issue that had pained her. He relaxed his upper body, letting it loll slowly back to the Claire's hold, sighing. "But you know, with this face and this body it's so easy to get misunderstood by women…"

She shook her head, not being able to hold down the little laughter that escaped from her mouth.

"Jeez, I really miss the good old Leon. Have you seen him? I guess he's hit behind this flirty guy resting his head on my thigh".

They both sniggered in the common understanding.

"I hope your guy doesn't mind about this either", he stated with a wink of his eye, and received a shrug of shoulders from Claire.

"Well, I haven't met The Guy yet, thank you very much for asking, but I'm quite sure Chris might mince you a little if he popped in right now". She made a little cap between her thump and index finger "Just a little, but I warn you, he was grown some badass muscles. I start to think he's no human anymore".

Somehow the fact Claire was still single despite her gorgeous looks and the perhaps the best personality – no, definitely the best personality Leon had ever met, fluttered in Leon's stomach. He decided not to answer anything specific, but only to laugh at Claire's comment. Chris wouldn't ever be a problem for Leon. He had met more monstrous beings than Chris and survived to tell about them. He let his head rest in Claire's warm lap, enjoying of the lulling feeling of her fingertips against his scalp. He didn't even try to push back the emerging yawn.

"You really look like a cat, Leon. Like a Leo".

He listened to her eyes closed, pulling his arm behind his head. "That astrology sign? I wonder why it's called Leo instead of Lion?"

She didn't know the answer for that. The long silence lingered in the air, neither of them coming up with anything specific to say. There was no need to it.

"…Was I really that loud during that time?" His voice was low, eyes opening half way. She hummed for an answer.

"Yeah. I hardly was able to sleep."

"Sorry I made you worried".

"I wasn't worried, Leon. I was scared."

He didn't reply, but felt sympathy for her.

"You did great job with the bullet wound".

"Sorry I needed to hurt you".

"Nah, I got good care", he stated, squirming a bit to get his body to a better position. "No, the best." He took a deep inhale, eyes closing again. Her soft hair petting was one of the rarest things he remembered from that painful night, her scent never leaving his nostrils. She was always there. Claire.

It was rather nostalgic to lay there. In a bitter sweet way. He was sure Claire felt the same.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-


	4. This feeling you give me

**NiuNiu Note**

Horrible depression day today (darn PSM!) so I thought it would be perhaps best to write something. Finally started to play RE5, too, darn it was fun! I've done nothing else during these sick leave days than playing RE5. I think I love Wesker's voice…

And for fuck's sake, there's one man stalking me in the net…! I'm SO not interested in him. Besides he's A LOT older than me and has a family of his own. NO THANK YOU, I'm not that lonely.

Sorry about that rant, but GOSH, I'm mad! And depressed!

But to the story now.

If there are typos you found, don't mind. I'll be reading my fics through over and over again after submitting to find them.

**WARNING**: Chapter contains naughty Leon. Skip either the scene or the chapter if you get offended with mature material, but since you're reading this I assume you'll be more than fine with it…!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The heat from the shower coated the mirror surfaces of the bathroom cupboard's doors with moisture mist. The door of the transparent shower stall was left open and the steam whirled out from the tiny space with curly movements. The sound of running water filled the otherwise silent room, a sharp grunt echoing from the shower stall. Leon grimaced with a frown, his hand rising to cover the old scar on his left shoulder, water running over the palm. The hot water always made his old wound ache; sometimes the aching was just mild throbbing, kind of reminding him of its existence, and sometimes the pain was cutting, twisting his muscles from the core of the shoulder. He had never bothered to complain about it, since usually the scar didn't get much sore, but at the times like this Leon wondered should he see the doctor after all. He assumed the bullet he had caught with his body might had been fragmented by the force of the hit and thus a tiny piece of it would still be remaining under the scar tissue. After having the aching scar for years… damn, for too long, Leon really had started to wonder had Ada been worth of it all.

Well, yes and no.

Yes since he had been a police officer, wanting to get every living, survived person away from that hell hole alive, whether he would need to risk his own life while doing so. His conscience would have haunted him forever if he hadn't jump before the shot and saved Ada.

And no, since the woman in red seemed only to give him head aches. He still wasn't sure where she stood, what were her truly feelings of this whole mess she was also got involved with. Somehow Leon felt the woman was toying with him, maybe considering him still being the naive young boy he had been in Raccoon City. He didn't know why it offended him so much.

Letting go of his shoulder Leon leaned forward with his both hands, his head pressing lower with a sigh. The water ran happily down his hair and spine, the hotness stinging his neck. He felt himself weary and restless. Maybe it was the tiny closed space he was in, even though the door was left open by an old habit and the thought of "what if..?" Or maybe it was the fact that Claire was on the field doing her own examination, alone. Not that she would have needed any protection, Leon was very aware of what kind of woman Claire was, but still the thought "what if..?" played in the back of his head. He straightened his sunken body, lifting his face up and feeling how the tiny water streams hit his skin. He enjoyed of the feeling. Enjoyed of the idea of Claire. How secured he had felt himself when sleeping next to her slim but strong body! It was odd, to feel being safe like that, and in his mind Leon pondered did he make Claire feel herself secured, too. At least he hoped he did.

Shifting his weight to right Leon immersed deeper in the thought of Claire, keeping his eyelids closed. He focused on the memory of last night, replaying the scene of Claire in the black tank top and white panties, brushing her hair before the mirror, back turned to Leon. She had held her rubber band between her lips, humming some unknown song Leon thought to be from AC/DC. Leon hadn't even tried to hide his secret interest in almost half nude Claire, but admired her long firm legs and round cute butt, her dark outfit honouring her curves. It had felt almost forbidden him to check out his old friend like that, especially behind her back, but he couldn't have helped his eyes that wandered all over Claire. Inspecting. Admiring. Lusting. Following her curves, rising up to her red hair and dropping down to her bare legs, then taking a peek of her breasts from behind her uplifted upper arm. He had done his best to keep himself in check, when Claire had turned to face him, smiling with the rubber band still in hold of her teeth, sliding her fingers through it and tying her hair. She had said she wanted to sleep hair tied up, since she didn't like when the long hair tickled her neck while sleeping. An unwanted image of Claire's alluringly twisted face, her hair glued to her neck, hand trying to swipe it away had jumped to Leon's mind and when he now remembered how Claire had climbed on the bed with a sheepish grin, never loosing the eye contact with him, Leon's couldn't suffocate the low groan that left him. It danced back to his ears from the glass walls, accompanied with a huffed hum he made, head cocking slightly backwards. Oh yes. How he had wanted to be closer to Claire, pin her down and entwine his heated body around her shivering one. He rubbed the tight feeling away from his chest, letting his palm linger on his own skin a bit longer than usual. He hummed for the touch, not being able to get rid of the mental image of Claire and to be honest right now he wasn't even willing do it. He had met so many women during his missions, his reputation making it easy for him to pick up a laid if he would wish so, but Claire was the only one of them who stirred his blood. It felt forbidden and he didn't know why. All Leon knew was the fact Claire woke up something primal in him and letting his hand fell down he gave himself a slow, long stroke. A thought of Claire's lips emerged to his mind. Ah yes. Her lips were perhaps his favourite part in her. Pink, moist, rounded lips. How nice they would feel when wrapped around his flesh, her playful tongue probing the tip of his boner, making him see stars. Tightening his grip Leon let out a deep groan, cheeks flitting red from the excitement. His wet hair framed his face, head tilting backwards, water running between his parted lips, from his board chest and smooth flat stomach all the way down to his hard dick, his right palm pumping it with no shame. Oh, he wanted Claire, only Claire, to be kneeled down in front of him with those lovely lips, eyelashes fluttering softly when she would cast a look up to him. He would cradle Claire, chase all the evil away from her reach, lift her up to the new level of existence and fulfil her with his masculinity. Taking balance from the wet tile wall with his free hand Leon bent forward with a growling moan, water cascading down his spine, his palm tight and fast around his arousal. Oh, Claire… How gorgeous she would look like when riding on his hips, the red hair untied and wild, as untamed as herself, her naked form shadowing him. Willingly he let the fantasy cut the last straw that held him together, throwing his head back with a loud cry of passion, his body feeling like being in fire, lips gasping. The only thing Leon had on his mind when the warm white liquid spread over his tightly curled fingers was Claire. Oh, how much he adored her, in every way a man could ever adore a woman…!

His wet hair staid glued on his temple when Leon let his tensed body relax, slowly freeing his grab around his manhood. He watched how the remaining of his seed disappeared to the sewer with the pure water, sweat trying to push on his skin regardless of the fresh shower. Gulping down the dryness from his throat Leon lifted his palms up, covering his face with them, head bending again backwards. God he felt like a sinner for wanking himself while thinking of Claire. She was his friend, a really good friend, and you never thought anything sexual of your friends. The small voice in his head stated that Leon was an idiot if he didn't see what Claire had became – a wonderful, nicely curved fine woman, who looked like goddess whenever Leon took a look at her. Turning the tap off Leon grunted unworldly, seeking blindfolded a towel from the hook. He snatched the towel, hastily drying his hair and body until he wrapped the moist fabric around his hips, taking a look at the misty mirror. A pair of dulled eyes looked him back, a face stern with no trace of a smile. When he had turned into that man? Wiping hair away from his eye Leon headed for the hotel room, shutting the window when he got near the white sofa. The air in the room smelled nice, a hint of salty sea lingering in the air. He snickered himself when thinking how mad Claire would become if she didn't get a change to go to the beach and the inner voice stepped in telling he should take Claire there. She would enjoy of the big waves and warm sand under her soles. He would enjoy of seeing her smiling and skipping in the sand in her bathing suit. The idea thrilled him, but he made no promises for the suggestion. Instead he stretched his back, hands rising above his head, looking into the horizon. He should better be going soon to start his own investigation…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

She didn't know should she be laughing, crying or drooling. The investigation on the field had been almost fruitless, but after snooping around like a hound Claire had managed to scrap something together. The long waited returning to the hotel room had revealed Leon sitting on one of those huge, antique chairs, his head turned to his left shoulder, lips parted and eyes closed. The only garment the sleeping man was wearing was a white bath towel around his waist – loosely around his waist as Claire noticed – and his messed hair was still moist from the shower. She stood there, looking at him and wondering would it be the best to let Leon sleep or wake him up. She understood Leon was tired – she felt exhausted from the jetlag, too – and while thinking her next move she inspected Leon more. He had grown up since the days of the Raccoon City, it had been obvious for her already, but now his shoulders looked even wider him being without a shirt. Claire let her eyes wander lower, over his stomach down to his legs, and the sight of Leon's leg hair illustrated a small giggle to Claire's lips. Oh, he had matured indeed. Such manly and cute legs. She wanted to run her palm over his nearest shank. Somehow it was an alluring idea. She lifted her eyes up to Leon's sleeping face, eyes fixating on his nose. It was nicely sculpted by whatever genes he had and the lips underneath it were gorgeous. Manly yet beautiful, lower lip well formed and the curve of his upper lip – The perfect curve of Amor - was tantalizing to watch. Claire didn't know for how long she had just studied Leon until she noticed the scar on his shoulder. It was healed nicely, but the poorness of her nursing skills was shown on the rough surface of the pale scar tissue. To be honest, the scar looked horrible and Claire pursed for the result of her own idiom. She also got a better look of the thin scar she had noticed earlier, but never asked about it. It was usually hidden under his bangs, but now the moisture had glued the locks over his temple, revealing the fine, pale line. It didn't look like a serious wound, but Claire assumed it might have stung him when Leon got it. Sighing Claire's head dropped for a shook and then she got a look of another scar. It was peeking from under the edge of the towel, located on his thigh. It looked "fresh", like the one on his cheekbone and Claire wondered had Leon got it during a mission – it looked like a stab wound.

"You look worried".

"I was just thinking of your scars", she replied taking a look at Leon, who remained in the same position, but had his eyes opened. "I didn't know you had so many of them…"

"It's the price you need to pay…" he mumbled, straightening his head and looking down to the old wound on his tight. "I got this from Ada. The Las Plagas they implanted in me. She needed to hit me with a knife. Otherwise I would have strangled her." He saw the look in Claire's eyes when he mentioned Ada, but he remained silent. Claire knew Ada, too. She was a true enigma.

"What about the one on your face?"

"Ah, Krauser. You remember the guy, I told you about him. Tried to cut my throat open, that son of a bitch. A little memory of him from the last trip around here".

"The oldest one looks quite horrible", Claire breathed out, kneeling next to his shoulder to take a better look of the roughed mark. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to do a better job with it".

"Nah, don't worry. At least you're not causing me any scars like the other women. Well, I didn't get any scars from Angela, but damn was I bruised when I got back home! You should have seen me!" Leon babbled, rising up from his seat and holding the towel up with his hand. Claire stood up, too, thinking of Leon's words. It was true. All the scars were gifts from women, more or less. Two of them from Ada and one from Ashley – well, not directly, but she was the reason Leon had got his face cut. Again Claire didn't know should she smile or feel sorry for him.

"So, how was your day?" he asked, adjusting the towel around himself.

"Well, I managed to get up with some information, but not much. Seems that the locals are muttering about the The Alliance's criminal offence happening 50km away from here – that's about 30 miles". She looked at Leon, who gestured her to turn around. Claire did so, smiling a bit, hands rising to her hips. She heard how the towel dropped to the ground.

"And?"

"I guess I'd need a car. I wonder if they have a car rent nearby."

She listened to how Leon fumbled with his clothes, pulling the zipper up.

"I can ask from the reception if you like", he answered, searching for the t-shirt. "You can turn over now".

She turned, getting a glimpse Leon's stomach while he pulled the black material over his body, messing his hair afterwards trying to get it dryer.

"Thanks, but I think I can handle it myself." She kept a small pause. "How about your day?"

"Well, as you can see it hasn't really started properly", he smiled a boyish grin. "I was about to leave soon, but.." He wanted to say he was waiting for her to return save and sound, but his lips staid glued.

"..But you fell asleep on the chair", Claire filled his sentence, turning around to walk to her laptop. It was placed nicely on the night table next the bed, which was still undone. How inviting it looked…! Claire gave a bit saddened smile for the bed. "I can't blame you, Leon. I feel so tired from the flight and all..! I think do some searches for the car renting and hit the bed then." She noticed from the dry sound how Leon was dressing himself with the leather jacket, tucking the card key to his pocket. She studied her friend. "Will you be out late?"

"Can't say for sure. I try to dig up as much information I can as soon as possible, since honestly, I really dislike Spain…" he muttered in a serious manner, quickly taking a look at Claire after his words "But in any case if your mission lasts longer than mine I can stay around, too. There's no specific schedule for this mission and whatever information I'll find – if any – I can send them straight to the president. It doesn't require my presence", he corrected his statement about Spain's trip, seeing how pleased look washed over Claire's features.

"Good. I was a bit worried I would be kicked out from here", she laughed making Leon grin, too.

"You know. I would never kick you out, nor leave you alone during a mission. We're a team, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. Thanks, Leon. I owe you one".

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Massaging her temples Claire grimaced when the migraine flashed in her head. She blamed the lack of sleep and the sea air for it, since she usually had no migraines, but right now her head felt like a parade of huge drums would have been banging inside her skull. She looked at the note which she had written the number of the nearest car rent on. She had managed to get herself a ride for tomorrow despite that she didn't speak any word of Spanish. It had been a bit complicated at first to talk in a phone with a young man who understood just poorly English, but now the car was ready for her tomorrow's field trip. Noticing the digital numbers of a clock in the right corner of her laptop Claire blinked her eyes tiredly. Leon surely was taking his time with this case. The day was nearing the midnight and pushing her laptop aside Claire stretched with a loud yawn. Digging in the investigation always occupied her so intensively that when she finally returned to this world Claire noticed she was horrible hungry and that the toilet was also calling her rather loudly. She wondered would the fridge they had in the room contain something edible or should she go out to look for a pizza place to get some midnight lunch. She doubted the room service was available at this time of the day anymore…

The ringing of her phone filled the silence of the room and hastily Claire bend forward to pick up her singing cell. The name on the screen lighted a smile to her face.

"Hey, Chris!" she greeted her brother, pulling legs near her midsection. A small silence occurred until Chris cleared his throat, surprised.

"Wow, you sound awfully cheerful. Isn't it supposed to be very early morning there?"

"That depends totally of yours location and mine as well", she smiled him mysteriously. It was fun to tease Chris.

"…Okay… Should I be worried..?" he asked stretching every word with a questioning tone.

"Nothing serious, Chris. Just some rumours of endangering the nature that The Terra Save sent me to check out. I left almost after you had left".

"Where are you?"

"Give a wild guess!"

"Claire, I'm horrible in guessing games…!" he moaned beaten yet voice full of curious of Claire's location. She shrugged her shoulders casually.

"I'm in Spain. I don't know how long I'll stay but surely long enough to hit the beach!"

Her brother chuckled for a reply.

"They sent me to German. Never guessed we would hit the Europe at the same time."

"How have you been Chris? Any problems with the mission?"

"Uh, I'm not actually allowed to talk about it, not at least on a phone", he murmured, a bit taken back by Claire's question. "But nothing serious this far that I can say. Oh and Jill's fine, too".

She was relieved to hear the news. They made such a wonderful couple Claire couldn't help the small, soft smile. "Chris", she whispered, holding the phone closer "I've not said this before but I'm really happy for you."

She sensed how the older Redfield got embarrassed by this compliment of hers and Claire was able to see in her mind how his face was now tinted with slight redness. He cleared his throat, coughing.

"W…what do you mean?" he muttered but couldn't distract his sister. After receiving a little grunt from Claire Chris sighed to the phone. "Ok, thanks, Claire. Should I tell her about your approval of our... partnership?"

"I think she already knows it, Chris", Claire stated, admiring how gently Jill always behaved towards her brother, even though Chris was sometimes truly a man with slow skills of noticing things that were so obvious for women's senses. Men were made for more rational stuff.

"How have things been there?" Chris broke the silence, some odd noise coming from the background. Claire thought it might have been a TV.

"Well, the beginning was a bit disappointing. Terra Save's hotel booking hadn't arrived to the hotel and they suggested I should go to this hostel filled with wild bag travellers. Can you believe it! It would have been nightmarish to work in there, especially since this was marked as a 'sneaking mission'".

Chris hummed from the other side. "But I guess you managed to find a place to stay then?"

"Yes, thank god Leon was----" she cut the sentence suddenly, her little sister radar telling that Chris picked up the name LEON like it would have been written with human sized letters on a wall.

"Leon was?" he repeated with an amused tone, making Claire shift with a frown. "Is he there with you? Is it some kind of co-operation mission?"

"Yes and no. He's here doing his own mission and offered me a place to stay for my mission. And no, Chris, Leon isn't here right now. He's been gone the whole day".

He thought of hearing a hint of concern in Claire's voice and he quickly dropped the humorous tone away from his lips. "Don't you worry. Nothing can kill that guy and you know, you're there to watch his back." Yet he couldn't help a small grin that reached Claire's ears, too. "Are you two staying in the same room?"

"Not only that, we're staying in the same bed, too", Claire corrected Chris with a voice he couldn't tell was she telling the truth or joking with him. A female voice was heard from the Chris's side.

"Ah, sorry Claire, I need to go. Jill's requesting my assistance."

"I hope you two don't have to work too much anymore. It's very late, even in German".

"I'll give you that but we're not made of sugar. We can stand some staying awake."

Jill's voice was heard again and apologizing Chris hanged up the call, wishing good night for Claire and telling her she should keep an eye on Leon and inform him immediately if the guy tried something funny. Claire assured she would be okay and Chris should just concentrate on taking care of Jill and their mission. Letting the phone drop from her grasp Claire took another look at the clock on her laptop's screen and thought should she perhaps give a call for Leon. She wondered would the hotel approve if she staid in Leon's room alone the whole night through and remembering hotel's staff she also remembered the tiny fridge. Navigating herself before it she peeked in and was happily surprised by sandwiches, grapes, yoghurt and some orange juice. On the package rested a white post-it note, which Claire picked up.

_I order__ed some food for us while you were gone. Eat whatever you like._

_P.S. Leave__ one mozzarella sandwich for me. _

Well that was new. Claire hadn't known Leon was fancy for mozzarella. Fumbling with the sandwich packages Claire chose a chicken sandwich and tearing the wrap paper open she sighed for the delicious smell that whirled from the food. God, she was so hungry..! After this she would just hit the bed and rest. She needed energy for tomorrow's trip, not knowing for sure how long it would take her to get back. It depended on the info she would get and also of the fact how co-operative the locals would be.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The hotel room was dark and silent and the light curtains were pulled before the wide window screens. A light breeze from the sea weaved the thin fabrics before the screen. A sleeping form was curled on the left side of the wide bed and a light duvet was pulled half way over the body. Claire was well known from her tossing and turning while sleeping and this night wasn't any exception. She had occupied most of the bed, murmuring something before shifting again.

An odd poking kind of feeling made Claire bounce up to a sitting positions, half opened eyes full of fighting spirit. She didn't see anything, but was greeted with a shadowy figure.

"Sorry Claire. You had occupied the whole bed", Leon whispered with a soothing voice for Claire, climbing fully on the bed. "I tried to move you without waking you up, but I guess the walking dead have made an indelible mark on us". He sounded a bit sad, like always when he talked about their pasts.

Claire rubbed her eyes returning to sleep. "Yeah, they sure have", she mumbled, facing the ceiling. She heard how Leon ruffled his way under his own duvet. "Thanks for ordering the food. I saved the sandwich for you".

He hummed for a reply and yawned sounding dead tired.

"Was your day that tiring?" she smiled for him even though Leon wasn't able to see her. She closed her eyes and pointed her senses towards Leon. He lied near and somehow Claire thought he had his hands behind his head.

"This whole mission is so fucking tiring", he hissed surprising Claire with his cussing. He turned his head to Claire's side. "How was your day?"

"Tiring, too. I managed to rent the car though. Oh and Chris gave me a call. They're somewhere in German with Jill". She shifted a bit, the scent of Leon lingering in the air. She felt nervous to sleep next to him for some reason, even thought they had shared this bed in previous night.

"Were they okay?"

"Yes, thought Chris sounded a bit surprised when I mentioned you and the fact we're sharing the same bed". Her voice was coloured with humour.

"Damn, Claire. Are you really trying to get me minced by Chris?" He replied with a soft chuckle, making Claire turn to lie on her side. She tried to inspect Leon's half naked form between the darkness.

"Why would I do that?" Claire sounded innocent and earned another chuckle from Leon's curved lips. She imagined how his Curve of Amor was decorating his wide smile.

"Perhaps its better that I don't know", he stated, shifting again with a yawn. "I don't know about you but I'm going to pass out any second… Let's catch up with the chit chatting tomorrow, when we're both rested and fresh." Yawning again and making Claire think that his name really came from Leo Leon wished a good night for Claire. She returned the polite and friendly gesture, turning her back for Leon. The sleep she had had was now gone, chased away by the presence of Leon, his soon emerging sounds of sleeping dancing in Claire's ears.

Oh how badly she wanted to turn around and curl next to his side, to make her nest under his arm…! It was strange feeling and in some way a bit unwanted too, making Claire feel like she would be addicted. She wanted to be free, not tied down, but that man, oh that Leon next to her was waking up such feelings the tomboy in Claire didn't know how to react to them. She tried to doze off by closing her eyes and tucking her free hand under her pillow to support her still aching head. Her back skin felt like tingling and a tight but warm knot formed underneath her heart. Leon was almost radiating some unknown rays to her side, a bit like the sun, and with a pleased smile Claire let herself bathe in that unseen manly radiation. Damn, he smelled so wonderful, whether it was his own pure scent or with a hint of aftershave or something else Claire couldn't put a finger on it. With the scent in her nostrils, the warm knot in her chest and the manly radiation on her back skin Claire finally fell asleep, just to see dreams of the man she was sleeping a side by side.

And in her dream, there was no Chris scurrying over her, no walking corpses rotting under the sun light, no Ada, no Angela, but only Leon. The blue eyed man in all of his glory and she felt lucky to be there, too.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**NiuNiu Side Note:**

Uhhmm, what's the upper lip's tip called in English? The part that is just right under the nose? In my language it's The Curve of Amor, but I didn't find any info how it's called in English… or is there any specific word for it whatsoever. I remembered once read it would have been called as Angel's kiss in English, but I really don't know was it only a poetic metaphor.


End file.
